Independent Law journalists report on legal news for consumers, litigants & Scotland's legal community including features on justice, access to justice, law reform, the judiciary, politics & in-depth investigations, analysis and commentaries on legal related issues.

Thursday, November 08, 2012

Judges wealth, links to big business, banks, law firms etc should be declared in register of interests.SCOTTISH JUDGES should be required to declare their financial wealth along with money making ventures, business & professional relationships & any other relevant links including those impacting on criminal trials, in a published REGISTER OF JUDICIAL INTERESTS, according to A PETITION filed at the Scottish Parliament by legal blogger & contributor to Diary of Injustice, Peter Cherbi

Petition PE01458: Register of Interests for members of Scotland's judiciary which is now open for signatures from the public, calls for the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to create a Register of Pecuniary Interests of Judges Bill (as is currently being considered in New Zealand's Parliament) or amend present legislation to require all members of the Judiciary in Scotland to submit their interests & hospitality received to a publicly available Register of Interests.

The petition goes on to report how the Parliament of New Zealand is debating legislation to create a register of interests for the judiciary. Mr Cherbi says he believes it is time for Scotland to move in the same direction and create a similar register of interests for the judiciary of Scotland and all its members, increasing the transparency of the judiciary and ensuring public confidence in their actions & decisions.

New Zealand MP, Dr Kennedy Graham’s bill on judicial interests states : It is a time-honoured principle of Western democracy that public servants of every kind must be beyond reproach, and suspicion thereof. Public confidence in the standard of behaviour and conduct observed by leading servants of the people is a cornerstone of social harmony and political stability. A threshold of confidence to that end should ideally be enshrined in constitutional and legislative form. Little scope should be available for individual discretion or subjective perception.

The principle of transparency in this respect pertains in particular to issues of financial (pecuniary) interest. Nothing undermines public confidence in a nation’s institutions and procedures more than suspicion that a public servant may have, and especially proof that one has, suffered a conflict of interest arising from a pecuniary interest in a particular dealing in which he or she was professionally involved.

The correct balance in this respect appears to have been achieved over the years–the public interest in such annual statements is significant without appearing prurient, and few complaints have been voiced by those on whom the obligations are placed. There seems to be a general acceptance that such exercises are in the public interest and are neither unduly onerous nor revealing.

No such practice, however, has been observed in the case of the judiciary. Recent developments within New Zealand’s judicial conduct processes suggest that application of the same practice observed by the other two branches of government might assist in the protection of the judiciary in future.

Being obliged under law to declare pecuniary interests that might be relevant to the conduct of a future case in which one is involved would relieve a judge from a repetitive weight of responsibility to make discretionary judgements about his or her personal affairs as each case arises. Having declared one’s pecuniary interests once, in a generic manner independent of any particular trial, a judge may freely proceed in the knowledge that, if he or she is appointed to adjudicate, public confidence for participation has already been met. Yet care is to be exercised to ensure that the final decision is left to the individual judge whether to accept a case. There should be no intention of external interference into the self-regulation of the judiciary by the judiciary.

This is the reasoning behind this draft legislation–the Register of Pecuniary Interests of Judges Bill. The purpose of the Bill, as stated, is to promote the due administration of justice by requiring judges to make returns of pecuniary interests to provide greater transparency within the judicial system, and to avoid any conflict of interest in the judicial role.”

Mr Cherbi said in his petition : “I believe the same aims of the New Zealand legislation as quoted above, are compatible with the public interest in Scotland and to promote the due administration of justice by providing the public with greater transparency within the judicial system.”

The Register of Pecuniary Interests of Judges Bill is an example of similar legislation for a register of judicial interests in New Zealand, bought to the New Zealand Parliament by Dr Kennedy Graham.When asked whether a register of interests existed for Scottish judges, the Judicial Office for Scotland said “The Judicial Office for Scotland does not hold a register of hospitality for members of the judiciary and there are no plans to do so. The Lord President has set out formal guidelines to the judiciary in the STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES OF JUDICIAL ETHICS Para 4.9 and 7.2 address this particular point.”

However in an age of transparency where the decisions of Scottish judges affect all our lives, whether the case be criminal or civil, there must be a requirement for all public servants particularly those in positions of such importance as the judiciary to submit their interests to a publicly available register of interests.

New Zealand’s Law Commission issued paper supporting a register for judges interests. In New Zealand, the New Zealand Law Commission has argued for a wider remit to include all officials whose positions given them potential to influence a case to be included in such a register of interests.

The Law Commission stated : “If there is to be legislation, should it apply to all judges, or only to judges of some levels, or to all judicial employees and officials such as prosecutors and registrars? An argument can be made that if there is to be financial disclosure it should be required of all officials whose positions give them sufficient potential to influence the outcome of a case, whether as a result of a bribe or other improper influence.”

In response to an earlier Freedom of Information Request from Diary of Injustice, the Head of Strategy & Governance for the Judicial Office for Scotland pointedly REFUSED to provide any details of information disclosing whether any members of the judiciary in Scotland have declared or informed the Scottish Court Service in the past three years of :

The reasons given by the Judicial Office for refusing to disclose key details on what Scots judges are getting up to, are that much of the information requested is held by an ‘arms length body’ created by the Scottish Court Service which holds such information on behalf of the Lord President, rather than passing it directly to him.

Fat chance of getting the Scots Law Commission to follow the NZ LC's lead on this one however it just goes to show other countries are willing to deal with their judges antics in a more honest and open manner than Scotland will ever achieve.

Good on you New Zealand and thanks for inspiring our Peter along same road!

Hundreds of years ago the Church dominated people in this life with the promise of salvation in the afterlife. Now it is the self regulators. They do not promise anything but their goals are the same. Domination of people for profit.

If all are equal before the law why are these people not? It is a question of enlightenment. Are all members of the legal establishment bought and paid for by the banks? Pay the decision makers and evidence becomes buried.

If you look at it another way,MPs/MSPs are required to make these kinds of declarations therefore the judiciary should also be subject to the same rules.After all both are paid for by the public purse and we are fully entitled to know the finances or interests of anyone on the public payroll.

If you look at it another way,MPs/MSPs are required to make these kinds of declarations therefore the judiciary should also be subject to the same rules.After all both are paid for by the public purse and we are fully entitled to know the finances or interests of anyone on the public payroll.

9 November 2012 14:33

and dont forget the judges earn a lot more and have a lot more power than politicians

First the Law Society of England and Wales shuts down the Solicitors from Hell website. They claim that exposing lawyers crooked ways are a form of harassment and the judges (no juries) agreed. No coincidence the judges happen to be members of the Law Society of England and Wales with a major conflict of interest.

Another site opened up Solicitors from Hell 2 hoping to continue the job the Solicitors from Hell website was doing but this time located in America and outside the LS's jurisdiction. However it also has been closed down with no reason why the information it published can no longer be accessed.

A third site opened up Cowboy solicitors and it has also closed down without any reason given.

We ourselves have been subject to attack over many years and have had to use at least 20 or more web hoster's to continue to expose the threat lawyers pose to men across the globe caught up in their dodgy legal scams. Sinister the degree to which they control the complicit compliant media and who seem determined to shut down the TRUTH about their scams now being exposed across the internet by their victims, or those victims that survived the destructive forces that continue behind closed secretive courtrooms. =============================Judges secretive too. Never trust a lawyer. Self regulation allows them to re offend because there is no deterrent.

THE LEGAL PROFESSION CHARGED WITH ENFORCING THE LAW ARE THE BIGGEST ABUSERS OF THOSE LAWS.

Why, because they regulate themselves. A creepy network who operate in their own interests and cannot be held to account. This is intolerable in a country where all are meant to be equal before the law. If this group are as honest as they claim to be anti lawyer websites would never have appeared. They must be exposed for the criminals they are. Trust none of them.

Anonymous said...Hundreds of years ago the Church dominated people in this life with the promise of salvation in the afterlife. Now it is the self regulators. They do not promise anything but their goals are the same. Domination of people for profit.

If all are equal before the law why are these people not? It is a question of enlightenment. Are all members of the legal establishment bought and paid for by the banks? Pay the decision makers and evidence becomes buried.

9 November 2012 01:13mmmmmmmmaaaaaaaaassssssooooooonnnnnnsssss

All of these criminals take supreme pleasure in breaking people and humiliating them?

I am utterly astonished that Scotland's Judges & Sheriffs do not already have to provide such information to show that they have characters above reproach?

Indeed, I find it quite remarkable that all of Scotland's Judges & Sheriffs have not volunteered this information by now given that they are supposed to show their trustworthy status at all times?

In fact, I am now extremely worried and distressed that our judiciary have not seen fit to provide all of this information because they are up to their armpits in treachery and deceit against Scotland's People?

They are Scottish lawyers after all and we know that they are professional liers?

I am all in favour of your register of interests petition Mr Cherbi and I will tell you why.A well known judge lives just along the street from us.You should see his house its like a fortress and the slightest thing happens on the street brings out half the Police force including a domestic with one of his junkie sons and friends who smashed up a few cars.I suppose if the judge reads this comment he will know who he is and realise we are not too keen on him being our neighbour and have many things to tell about some of the strange visitors who show up.One of his nocturnal visitors has been in your favourite newspaper several times featured as a well known underworld figure from Glasgow!Do you think he might want to put these homely meetings onto your register of interests?

How can Kenny MacAskill claim to be acting for the Scottish People when he cannot even guarantee that our judiciary have a character above reproach?

As far as he knows (because there is no way of proving otherwise) that all of Scotland's judiciary are on the make, bent and open to corruption by dealing with crooks?

If the Judiciary cannot and will not provide the Scottish Public with proof of their fitness to hold this office, then they should be sacked on the spot for being an imposter and then dealt with by the police?

This means that we have no way of confirming that our judges and sheriffs have their fingers in the till and due to the incredible decisions that happen on a weekly basis throughout the land, there is a considerable risk that they are involved in a cash for judgments basis?

MacAskill & Salmond must initiate a Public Inquiry as a matter of urgency to investigate the judiciary and to set up a transparent system going forward which ensures that the judiciary are fit for purpose and answerable to the Public they are supposed to represent?

In this day and age and in light of MP's fiddling their expenses, the Phone Hacking scandal, the Police cover-up over the Hillsborough disaster, the Jimmy Saville pedophile scandal and the Hollie Grieg cover-up, it is completely rediculous to accept on a 'word of mouth' basis that the judiciary are trustworthy and fit for purpose, especially when they are former Scottish lawyers who have worked in an environment where they can tell lies with impunity in the knowledge that there will be no deterrent regulation?

The Scottish judiciary are of the opinion that they are accountable only to themselves and no one else (i.e. the Scottish Public - which they view with utter contempt)?

Then they squeal, citing independence of the judiciary when we the Scottish Public are only asking the bare minimum standard required of them?

The fact that NO Register of Interests exists is a DAMNING INDICTMENT of the judiciary's sense of judgement in equitability and fairness and suggests that we should be far more concerned with the capability of our judiciary to act according to the law and not just in their compliance with a Register of Interests?

Just look at the arrogance of judges attitude towards your register of interests idea - They claim it would not be appropriate for them to be subject to a register of interests!

Clearly they are going to have to be forced into it and in a modern day society where transparency is everything and everywhere they must become part of the rest of society and declare their interests like everyone else especially in view of what you have been turning up re their investment habits etc

http://www.supremecourt.gov.uk/about/interests-and-expenses.html

Justices' interests and expensesBackground

Prior to the creation of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, the highest court in the UK was the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords. The members of the Committee were Lords of Appeal in Ordinary appointed under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876. Although those appointments gave them full voting and other rights in the House of Lords, the Law Lords had for some years voluntarily excluded themselves from participating in the legislative work of the House. Notwithstanding that, they were bound by the rules of the House and provided entries for the House of Lords Register of Interests. On the creation of the Supreme Court the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary became Justices of the Supreme Court. They retain their titles as Peers of the Realm, but are excluded by statute from sitting or voting in the House, for so long as they remain in office as Justices of the Supreme Court. As such, they are treated as Peers on leave of absence; and do not have entries in the House of Lords Register of Interests. Historical information remains accessible via the House of Lords website. Other judges in the UK, such as the judges of the Court of Appeal and the High Court in England and Wales, and in Northern Ireland, and the Court of Session in Scotland, do not have a Register of Interests. Instead they are under a duty to declare any interest where a case comes before them where this is or might be thought to be the case.

Current position

Against this background the Justices have decided that it would not be appropriate or indeed feasible for them to have a comprehensive Register of Interests, as it would be impossible for them to identify all the interests, which might conceivably arise, in any future case that came before them. To draw up a Register of Interests, which people believed to be complete, could potentially be misleading. Instead the Justices of the Supreme Court have agreed a formal Code of Conduct by which they will all be bound, and which is now publicly available on the UKSC website.

In addition all the Justices have taken the Judicial Oath – and they all took it again on 1 October 2009 – which obliges them to “do right to all manner of people after the law and usages of this Realm without fear or favour, affection or ill will”; and, as is already the practice with all other members of the judiciary, they will continue to declare any interest which arises in the context of a particular case and, if necessary, recuse themselves from sitting in that case – whether a substantive hearing, or an application for permission to appeal.

I was involved in a case between a building contractor and a client in the court of session as a witness and was told one of the judge's relations was a director of the building company but he didn't recuse himself from the case and guess who won right! the builder!

I've told the person concerned to read your blog and contact you about this.

A rogue lawyer is being mollycoddled by watchdogs so they can tell him he's banned - again.

John O'Donnell, 62, yes John you are a rogue but you are a gentleman in comparison with the liars within the Law Society or SLCC. These two dens of evil are the real enemies of clients for protecting the Penman's and you.

The biggest crisis facing men worldwide is the extreme threat to keeping a permanent roof over their head. Despite the controlled media ranting endlessly on about the threat of terrorism the biggest threat to ALL men globally is the judicial and legal mafia terrorists who have a complete monopoly over the sale of property and the repossession (theft) that sees millions of men being made homeless on the back of the freemasonic control at the heart of London and the cabal of lawyers and judges they control globally in an enormous web of deceit. =============================Yes and the lawyers and Judges can take all you have, and you cannot find out anything about them. Keep up the good work bloggers.

Against this background the Justices have decided that it would not be appropriate or indeed feasible for them to have a comprehensive Register of Interests, as it would be impossible for them to identify all the interests, which might conceivably arise, in any future case that came before them. To draw up a Register of Interests, which people believed to be complete, could potentially be misleading. Instead the Justices of the Supreme Court have agreed a formal Code of Conduct by which they will all be bound, and which is now publicly available on the UKSC website.

In addition all the Justices have taken the Judicial Oath – and they all took it again on 1 October 2009 – which obliges them to “do right to all manner of people after the law and usages of this Realm without fear or favour, affection or ill will”; and, as is already the practice with all other members of the judiciary, they will continue to declare any interest which arises in the context of a particular case and, if necessary, recuse themselves from sitting in that case – whether a substantive hearing, or an application for permission to appeal.

Yes, but we still have to TRUST in their JUDGEMENT as to whether or not they will recuse themselves......It is their JUDGEMENT that has to be considered here........if they refuse to commit to a transparent system what does that say about their JUDGEMENT?

If they admit to a comprehensive register of interests then the judiciary will be demonstrating that they have a character that is above reproach and that they have complied with the basic, fundamental, prerequisite qualifications for their job?

As a member of the Judiciary in a modern progressive country, it cannot be acceptable for there to be no way of proving that they are fit-for-purpose?

Under this system, it is simply not logical to blindly trust a judge or sheriff based solely on their word because the Scottish Public would be open to be abused and the whole trust in the system would be damaged by remaining with the status quo?

Once again tremendous foresight and due diligence shown by Scotland's Premier legal journalist team, the DOI, who continue to protect the Scottish Public by raising awareness of injustices perpetrated against them.

Just want to let you know the Scottish Parliament are actively blocking people from signing your petition.==============================I have said before the Law Society of Scotland are the Scottish Government. MSP's don't give a damn about us. All policy on reform of the legal mafia always goes the lawyers way. The LPLA Act is one example.

I cannot believe that in Scotland today we have no effective procedures and systems in place that would ensure that the Judiciary are fit for purpose and can prove transparently that they are to be trusted?

Under the present state of affairs we are expected to take their word for it that they are honest and upstanding?

However, the DOI journalists have already seriously called this honesty and trustworthiness into question whereby now the Judiciary cannot be trusted any longer to do the right thing and therefore a full and complete register of interests must now be mandatorily enforced or else the Public's trust in the Judiciary will be eroded away by their own intransigence and abuse?

Why have the police allowed the defender of the indefensible to be in-charge of finding the fugitive O'Donnell?

Has the rotten Crown Office told the police to bu€€er off so that the Law Society of Scotland can try to sweep another criminal scandal under the carpet?

What must the victims think of a Society who allows the perpetrators, the Law Society of Scotland, an opportunity to cover over their tracks by putting in place their OWN LAWYER, who has no interest in the plight of the victims and is in place to prevent the victims from submitting a claim against the Law Society's Guarantee Fund?

Surely this is criminal obfuscation of the law to protect their member from being exposed to the law of the land?

I hear its thanks to you the legal aid thing has been picked up and lawyers are having to protest outside the courts!Must have heard your name mentioned 100 times today followed by various swear words so take heart you are doing a fine job!

I was involved in a case between a building contractor and a client in the court of session as a witness and was told one of the judge's relations was a director of the building company but he didn't recuse himself from the case and guess who won right! the builder!==============================The causal links Salmond and all MSP traitors want to maintain. It is not a legal system. It is an arrangement in which people with great power [supported by crooked MSP's] pervert justice for their friends. The Scottish Parliament has been a disaster. They all kiss lawyers bums.

pervert their public office in a secretive way to favour the people they like.

Most men are blissfully unaware that the biggest risk to their lives is the power of ' judges

Who is choosing the ' chosen ones by Peter Markan

If the methods used in anglo ' legal ' system were adopted in other areas of human endeavours we , as humanity , would be still living in the stone age . No search for truth , no discovery process , no logical analysis of facts , no reasoning , no rationality , no sensibility . Instead - lies , pretentions , deceptions , hypocrisy , play acting , faking , falsifying , rigging , doctoring , concocting .

Enormous amount of power is put into hands of some publically unknown , unelected but secretly selected , ' trusted ' people . Who really selects them , who trusts them and WHY ? They are selected to the most exclusive club ( in large extent ' hereditary ' ) in conspiratorial/Mafioso style arrangements and not ' democratic ' . They do not have any qualification , training , competency test or any sort of exams or assessments for the position they are given ! No scrutiny of their characters , no verification of their suitability to play effectively ' top dog ' in the community . BUT they are given absolute dominance in the society ( to both make and invalidate laws , and to control other people`s lives ) - over legislatures , the executive branch , and the people who elected these representatives . They are given ' discretionary powers ' !

Hope it wasn't too cold & wet for them during their protest ... """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""Yes Peter we would not want them to get a cold or it develop into pneumonia. Glad to hear they were ranting about you. The medicine is working DOI Team and its wonderful.

I'm sure they wont be mentioning any of their 14 solicitor colleagues who managed to escape prosecution for legal aid fraud ...===============================Yes indeed the Crown office engineer any outcome they want. Perhaps some of the 14 were present?

I'm sure they wont be mentioning any of their 14 solicitor colleagues who managed to escape prosecution for legal aid fraud ...

19 November 2012 18:54========================================

This protest by Scottish lawyers is simply crocodile tears.

They know the Law Society's man will capitulate.....?

What the Scottish lawyers are genuinely frightened of is that the Scottish Government finally lose patience with their continual and overt fraud of the Scottish Legal Aid Fund and decide to slash it by 50%.....?

So, they do not care a JOT for the Scottish Public and are picketing against the risk to lose their gravy train access to SLAB funding.......?

I say picket all you want and I would bar them from ever entering the court building ever again until the criminal law Society of Scotland are disbanded and an honest society and honest lawyers are incorporated........Until then, stay away and rot in hell......the accused will probably do a better job in any event and will be considered champions for saving the country £Millions of pounds that can be better spent elsewhere?

As for the INFAMOUS 14 (picked out as a representative sample of the whole), they were effectively given a pat on the back rather than a rap on their knuckles and this perverting of Justice by the Law Society of Scotland and the crooked Crown Office sends a message out to all other Scottish lawyers that they are ABOVE THE LAW and that THEY CAN FILL THEIR BOOTS AND STEAL AS MUCH AS THEY CAN OF PUBLIC MONEY?

Harold Shipman the mass murdering doctor got away with murder for so long because MASONS run the body responsible for disciplining doctors. All British citizens are at extreme risk of major medical accidents being covered up to protect masonic doctors like Shipman. ================================Secretive again.

Must have heard your name mentioned 100 times today followed by various swear words so take heart you are doing a fine job! ===============================Well DOI could not report this corruption if the lawyers were above board. They are reading their reward for their mendacious ways. Poetic Justice. Weh cool journalism.

You are all potential victims. Learn from us. These Judges are the same as the SLCC and Law Society. A legal system, no a mafia. Learn from us, what we learnt was brutal. These people are evil and dangerous and they have no dilemmas about torturing you for profit.

In South Africa there was apartheid. Now Scotland is meant to be a democracy, but the evidence in my opinion contradicts this. We are all meant to be treated equally before the law.

But actors in these cases Judges cannot prove they are not criminals because their bureaucracies and the MSP's are the legal establishment.

Try writing to your MSP about a crooked lawyer and see how far you get. They have carefully designed a system where the lawyers are the locksmiths, who only open the doors of the Courts for people who are no threat to the profession. These Judges are agents of Legal Apartheid in Scotland. Access to justice is forbidden if you have been ruined by a lawyer.

Their power is based on secrecy. They must be held to account. Apartheid in South Africa was visible. In Scotland it is not. Tell everyone you throw. Next time it could be you.

The SNP has attacked an individual who submitted a series of requests for Scottish government information.

The party accused the unnamed person of wasting public money after making 85 freedom of information (FOI) requests, at a cost of more than £23,000.

Opposition parties said ministers spent taxpayers cash to protect non-existent information on Scotland and the EU.

The individual was responsible for 13.5% of FOI government requests.

Although the person was not named, First Minister Alex Salmond told parliament last month that "a Labour researcher is responsible for over 14% of all freedom of information requests".

The 85 requests were received by the Scottish government between the start of the summer recess on June 29 and November 6 2012.Continue reading the main story “Start Quote

The SNP have a cheek to criticise others for wasting taxpayers' money” Willie Rennie Scottish Liberal Democrat leader. SNP MSP Jamie Hepburn said: "Access to information is important but this one person is just wasting taxpayers' money.==============================Never any mention from them on Legal Aid theft by lawyers.

Jane Irvine, SLCC Chair : £300 a day for some, benefits seized to pay lawyers for others as regulator accused of failure to clip disputed fees. PERSISTENT FAILURES at the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC) including A RELUCTANCE to use key powers which enable the ‘independent’ regulator of Scottish lawyers to reduce or even nullify fees of solicitors who ruin their clients legal interests are being blamed for the predicament of a Mr William Gordon of Perth, who has now been made bankrupt by Perth based law firm Kippen Campbell, over demands he must pay fees for a case which collapsed because his lawyers withdrew from acting for him. ===============================The MSP mafia put this quango in place to help protect lawyers.It is very efficient. MSP's and Law Society members agree on one thing. It is morally right to destroy peoples lives to protect lawyers. I told my MSP that a vote for her was an indirect vote to maintain Law Society dominance. All of your MSP's are the same. Fill a parliament with Law Society sympathisers and you get tyranny. Those dens of evil Law Society SLCC will do anything to protect lawyers. And so will those elected to that sham of a Parliament in Edinburgh.

A law student once told me on this blog to "get a grip on my views". My reponse "my views were honed by dealing with the bastards you will look to for your legal apprenticeship".

Dont learn the hard way, trust none of them. Learn from us who know what they are. EVIL INCARNATE. The Judges are the same. Crooks in omnipotent positions who no doubt have the same attitude as Dr Shipman. How dare you question us. We are members of the legal profession. Yes a profession that is corrupt to its core that administers legal apartheid because they are a law unto themselves.

Hands up anyone who knows a poor judge?€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Hands up anyone who knows an honest judge? There are no mechanisms in place to protect the public. And who would be honest enough to administer it?

So let me get this right...there is currently no way of proving that Scotland's judiciary are :

1) Fit to practise?

2) Declaring all of their interests?

3) Trustworthy?

4) Acting equitably?

5) Exercising proper judgement?

Does this state of affairs not mean that the Scottish Judiciary is acting in its own cause and that consequently it has zero credibility? €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Oh yes zero credibility. And these criminals demand respect from the public in the Law Societies courts. We are paying taxes to uphold legal dictatorship, because the Law Society membership keep people out of court to save lawyers as Mr Cherbi knows. And Salmond tells us the Union is bad for Scots.

How can Kenny MacAskill claim to be acting for the Scottish People when he cannot even guarantee that our judiciary have a character above reproach?================================Put it this way. MacAskill is or has been a member of a union that have driven people to suicide. This man has stood for election just the same as the so called politician of the year. These people are Law Society Agents who's real remit is to protect the Law Society of Scotland.

MacAskill's SLCC took no action to protect Mr Gordon when his lawyers froze his disability benefits for their fees after covering up his occupational injuries. Starve him of food. This is MacAskill's justice toward people who are shit on by lawyers. He did nothing about it because he a lawyer. This is the reality of MacAskill's justice.

If all of the accused who appear in court, while Scotland's SHAME are on their ludicrous strike, if they plead that they cannot get a Scottish lawyer on legal aid and they cannot afford a Scottish lawyer then the Judge/Sheriff will have no option to continue proceedings to a later date?

This will have the effect of building up a huge back-log of cases that have been deferred and may lead to the accused cases being cancelled due to time bar?

Therefore, every single one of Scotland's SHAME will be literally guilty of wilfully defeating the ends of Justice?

Go on you bunch of LIFE STEALERS. Go and strike as much as you want but don't expect anyone to go to see you at visiting time?

Since Scotland's Judiciary do not currently subscribe to a transparent Register of Interests, are they already actually in default and should all demit office forthwith?

Then, after they agree to submit to this badly needed and essential Register of Interests then they would have the right to reapply for their old jobs back at a vastly reduced pay scale of maximum £50,000 per annum?

'The lawyers livehood is not really dependent on the money you pay him - it is dependent on the permit ( licence ) from ' authorities ' to ' legally ' defraud you'.=================================So true in Scotland too. They defraud you because they are the guardians of their colleagues actions. Clients would be as well complaining to the lawyers mother.

SUICIDES, ill health, death, family break-ups, personal threats, repossessed homes, unsolved burglaries, tampered mail, spurious Police visits or raids on your home with following arrests & charges withdrawn, benefits cheat investigations, Inland Revenue investigations, losing your job, DVLA inquiries, TV license inquiries, even RIPSA surveillance by local authorities, actions all apparently instigated by aggrieved lawyers out to discredit troublesome clients, are now known to form a catalogue of common experiences in varying combinations which keep cropping up with clients who attempt to pursue ‘rogue Scottish solicitors’ through the courts by claiming against the Law Society of Scotland controlled Master Policy.================================This is the brutal reality of dealing with M,LORD'S mafia. You take serious risks when you trust a Scottish lawyer. They are a mafia. Their weapon is secrecy.

And compensation if it goes wrong. Impossible, trust us, the survivors who have tried.

With all of the lurid newspaper reports in recent years (I suspect that this is but a fraction of the known scandals) about the conduct of the judiciary there can be no doubt that their standing with the Scottish Public is at an all-time low?

The Judiciary would no doubt argue that this erosion of their standing in the Public's eyes is all the fault of the news media for alerting the Public to their awful conduct and not that the conduct itself is the real reason?

As the deputy Justice MSP said about the Legal Aid Legal Profession Act 2007........our job is not to bring in real reform, it is to change the perception of the Scottish Public to make them THINK that we are giving them lawyer reform, whilst we both know that this is the opposite of what we are trying to achieve that is to HAMMER the suckers into the ground?

Nothing undermines public confidence in a nation’s institutions and procedures more than suspicion that a public servant may have, and especially proof that one has, suffered a conflict of interest arising from a pecuniary interest in a particular dealing in which he or she was professionally involved.==================================A deviant corrupt profession protected by deviant elected officials. Law Society agents in Parliament means no public servant is honest.

The Judicial Office for Scotland: “We do hold a register of hospitality for members of the judiciary and there are no plans to do so.” ==================================Bureaucracy protecting its own. They know everything about the public but we know nothing about them. Criminals in high office is what they are.

Margaret McDougall (West Scotland) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Executive who oversees the work of the Law Society of Scotland.=============================Margaret here is the reality, the Law Society of Scotland dominate the Scottish Executive. Regarding the Mafia head office or Law Society of Scotland all policy supports them not us.

Anonymous said...Must have heard your name mentioned 100 times today followed by various swear words so take heart you are doing a fine job! ===============================Well DOI could not report this corruption if the lawyers were above board. They are reading their reward for their mendacious ways. Poetic Justice. Weh cool journalism.

The difference is you did your tricks for the pleasure of the People and Scottish Lawyers' tricks are designed to cause the People the maximum pain and suffering where they enrich themselves through human suffering?

Anonymous said...So let me get this right...there is currently no way of proving that Scotland's judiciary are :

1) Fit to practise?

2) Declaring all of their interests?

3) Trustworthy?

4) Acting equitably?

5) Exercising proper judgement?

Does this state of affairs not mean that the Scottish Judiciary is acting in its own cause and that consequently it has zero credibility? €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Oh yes zero credibility. And these criminals demand respect from the public in the Law Societies courts. We are paying taxes to uphold legal dictatorship, because the Law Society membership keep people out of court to save lawyers as Mr Cherbi knows. And Salmond tells us the Union is bad for Scots.

I heard the other day the excuse that the reason that the Law Society of Scotland get hundreds of Scottish lawyers off from facing the laws of the land in Court (& the reason they were handed their fictional SSDT) was because they argued that it would be inequitable to have their member crooked lawyer to be prosecuted and presided over by a colleague...?

Well if this is the case........WHY THE HELL DO WE CONTINUE TO HAVE ONE CROOKED LAW SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND WHEN WE COULD HAVE TWO SEPARATE OPPOSITE BODIES, ONE WHO'S MEMBER LAWYERS DEFEND AND THE OTHER WHO'S MEMBERS PROSECUTE. Whereby, the two bodies are legislated against having any contact whatsoever?

Anonymous said...The Judicial Office for Scotland: “We do hold a register of hospitality for members of the judiciary and there are no plans to do so.” ==================================Bureaucracy protecting its own. They know everything about the public but we know nothing about them. Criminals in high office is what they are.

24 November 2012 13:18Ccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccrook

Whoever made this unbelievable statement should be sacked on-the-spot for NOT being a Public Servant?

BTW, PUBLIC SERVANT is not = to acting like a complete FU€€ER against Scotland's People !

That would be another gravy guzzling gazillion of ££££££'s flying straight into crooked Scottish lawyers pockets after their usual fraudulent contract 'confusion' fraud over the building of a second Chamber?

Because it is political, the lawyer criminal has immunity because his colleagues judge him, no public courts.

How can the Law Society of Scotland be allowed to take the place of the police?

Because lawyers and politicians engineered the system to protect themselves. People having the right to vote does not mean they have the right to justice. MP's expenses, Would they have told us what was happening with house flipping etc? Just like judges and sheriffs do not want their interests in the public domain.

Secrecy protects their money and reputations. They do not want us to know what they really are. I am not being patronizing, just giving my opinion my friend.

The Law Society has been behind the writing of the devolved Scottish settlement and always has a Law Society plant acting as deputy first minister and a spy as to any decisions made by the first minister.

Deputies to date

1999 to 2007 Jim Wallace a lawyer.

2007 to 2012 Nicola Sturgeon a lawyer.

And Kenny MacAskill a lawyer as Justice Minister. Yes the Law Society, use Parliament to protect themselves by making sure policy always protects crooked lawyers.

As the deputy Justice MSP said about the Legal Aid Legal Profession Act 2007........our job is not to bring in real reform, it is to change the perception of the Scottish Public to make them THINK that we are giving them lawyer reform, whilst we both know that this is the opposite of what we are trying to achieve that is to HAMMER the suckers into the ground?99999999999999999999999999999999Oh yes I agree with you 100% another example is The Scottish Legal Coverup Commission, a present from Cathy Jamieson. She wrote to people who had complained to the Law Society, her Reforming Complaints Handling Building Consumer Confidence bullshit. She was trying to close down Scotland Against Crooked Lawyers at the same time. Secrecy Cathy keep the ball in the lawyers half and break all the clients legs. That is your idea of balancing power.

The Law Society and Scottish Legal Complaints Commission are the lawyers secret societies. They decide our fate in secret. It is no surprise then they are ruthless criminals. It is like a society without a Police force.

Secret societies and justice are mutually exclusive because law enforcement is impossible.

In addition all the Justices have taken the Judicial Oath THIS MEANS N9THING– and they all took it again on 1 October 2009 BULLSHIT– which obliges them to “do right to all manner of people. YES THEIR OWN.

Judges have been taking Oaths for centuries. Dr Shipman took the Hypocratic oath and got away with mass murder because they are all Masons.

They all police their own professions so Oaths mean nothing. And what triggered investigations into Shipman was one his victims daughters who was a lawyer. He altered a will and he thought investigators had no right to question him. Bloody nutter.

Is it the case that the reason the Government & the Crown Office don't want to release the names of the crooked judiciary that all of the cases they have presided on since their prosecution will HAVE to be annulled?

For the Judiciary will have been guilty of lying to the Scottish Public and of having a character that was way below reproach?

Thereby, the Scottish Public is being deceived and they are hiding the breaking of a law to prevent the publishing of another law?

All of the picketing scumbag lawyers should be refused access to the courts for a minimum of 10 years and be replaced by newly qualified young Scottish lawyers, who would be so far untainted by the wicked control of the Law Society of Scotland, where they could cut their teeth and properly represent their clients instead of the usual tick box lawyers picking up a free-lunch pay cheque from the SLAB crooked Scottish lawyers slush-fund?

Why is it that Scottish Judges are the highest paid in Britain, yet we have to take their word for it that they are not crooks?

Surely the burden of proof and trust lies with them to prove that they are fit to be able to carry out their duties?

I am sorry but if they are continuing to be a member of the Judiciary whilst being convicted of ANY offence, then it follows that it is a no brainer that they cannot by any sane measure claim to uphold the values and morals required of a Judge?

What it does prove is that their judgement has been shown to be corrupt for them to have committed an offence?

For the Government, court officials & Clown Office to be trying to hide these offences is shameful, corrupt and devious and MUST result in gross misconduct and sacking on the spot?

Indeed, if anyone anywhere on that chain of command is aware of this or should have been aware of this and did not report it to an end (which clearly has not happened) then they all should be similarly sacked?

Scotland cannot and should not put up with these crooks in Public Office any longer, who act against the best interests of the Scottish Public and they should be exposed by whistle lowers who will receive the support of the whole Public in ridding corruption from our homeland?

Scotland is supposed to be a modern progressive fair and just country but we have no procedures and systems in place for ensuring that our Judiciary are honest and fit for purpose, which is a dagger in the heart of the country's very essence of democracy and justice?

We need to get the basic framework on a sound footing before we can even think about other decisions being made by the Scottish Parliament otherwise what is the point?

Once again the MSP'S caught asleep at the wheel of a speeding juggernaught?

Benefit claimants are being assessed by lie detecting technology in a clampdown on fraudulent claims by Southwark Council in South London.

The technology is called Voice Risk Analysis and monitors the level of stress in peoples' voices. The council claims it has helped uncover fraudulent council tax claims of nearly 4,000 people, reported the Southwark News. ==========================Lie detecting technology for judges. They would want the Law Society to operate the detector.

Britain's unruly newspapers should be regulated by an independent body dominated by non-journalists with the power to levy steep fines, a judge said Thursday in a report that pleased victims of tabloid intrusion but left editors worrying about creeping state control of the country's fiercely independent press.=================================Well it should apply to Judges and lawyers too, independent body dominated by non-lawyers with the power to levy steep fines.

Benefit claimants are being assessed by lie detecting technology in a clampdown on fraudulent claims by Southwark Council in South London.

The technology is called Voice Risk Analysis and monitors the level of stress in peoples' voices. The council claims it has helped uncover fraudulent council tax claims of nearly 4,000 people, reported the Southwark News. ==========================Lie detecting technology for judges. They would want the Law Society to operate the detector.

Imagine the scene........where the judges have to answer questions truthfully..........?

Firstly, they would probably nominate PY, the LSS's dark actor to administer the machine (with the power plug pulled out)?

Then they would have the LSS's chief Inquisitor to ask the questions (slow motion)?

Oh, I thought I had the questions to ask you.........let me look for them with both of my eyes............I'm afraid it looks like it is going to impossible to find your questions because they cannot be recoverable by me (I've even looked behind me?). [c'mon were almost in the pantomime season. lol]

Britain's unruly newspapers should be regulated by an independent body dominated by non-journalists with the power to levy steep fines, a judge said Thursday in a report that pleased victims of tabloid intrusion but left editors worrying about creeping state control of the country's fiercely independent press.=================================Well it should apply to Judges and lawyers too, independent body dominated by non-lawyers with the power to levy steep fines.

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Crown Corrupt - Prosecutors criminal convictions revealed

Exclusive Report: Documents obtained by the Scottish Sun newspaper reveal Prosecutors based at Scotland’s Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) have been charged with a string of criminal offences over crimes ranging from violence to misuse of drugs, making threats and offences against Police Officers.

Crown Office Jet Set Prosecutors air travel junkets revealed

Exclusive Report: Prosecutors based in Edinburgh at the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) - are now spending as much time in the air jetting between international destinations than chasing some of Scotland’s biggest crooks, tax dodgers, gangsters & serial offenders.

Documents obtained by the Scottish Sun newspaper show Lord Advocate, Frank Mulholland and his team of staff jetting off to 39 international destinations including Hong Kong, Mauritius, Taiwan South Africa, Australia, Malta, San Francisco, and New York – all visited by Crown Office employees on taxpayer funded air junkets. Read more here: CRIME FLIES: Crown Office jet set junket racket

The proposals, backed by cross party MSPs during a debate in the Parliament’s main chamber on 9 October 2014 - Debating the Judges - call for the creation of a publicly available register of judicial interests containing information on judges backgrounds, their personal wealth, undeclared earnings, business & family connections inside & outside of the legal profession, offshore investments, hospitality, details on recusals and other information routinely lodged in registers of interest across all walks of public life in the UK and around the world.

UK consumers want independent regulation of lawyers

Media Report: RESEARCH conducted by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) – the body charged with investigating solicitors in England & Wales, shows there is strong support in the rest of the UK for a move to make the SRA fully independent of the Law Society of England & Wales.

Law & Disorder - Law Society self regulation protects solicitors

Crime Society: The powerful Law Society of Scotland – the lawyer’s trade union body which controls self regulation of Scottish solicitors – is facing calls to be stripped of any role in regulating the legal profession.

The Scottish Sun’s The Big Read: Law and disorder reports: CRITICS are calling for an end to the secretive “old boys’ club” which sees Scots lawyers police themselves. It took the Law Society of Scotland four years to give police details of its probe into an alleged mortgage fraud linked to solicitor Christopher Hales and MP Michelle Thomson. But legal experts insist this would not have happened if we had the same system of outside supervision that operates down south.

A new Lord President: Selecting a top judge for Scotland

The position of Lord President – with a salary of £220,655 a year, including perks, international travel and unrivalled power to challenge even the Scottish Parliament - is responsible for leadership of the entire Scottish judiciary in addition to chairing the Board of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service. The Lord President is the most senior judge in Scotland, with authority over any court established under Scots law, apart from the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.

In response to questions from MSPs, JCR Gillian Thompson said: “I do not see that there is a reasonable argument to be made against people who are in public service—I might go further and say, in particular, people who are paid by the public pound—providing information, within reason, about their other activities.” Facing further detailed questions from the committee, JCR Gillian Thompson remained of the view judges should declare their interests including business activities, shareholdings and more – in a publicly available register of judicial interests.

Scotland's first Judicial Complaints Reviewer supports creating a register of interests for judges

The top judge came unstuck after he opposed the declaration of judicial interests, wealth & connections to big business. Prior to retirement, Gill waged a bitter two year battle with Scottish Parliament MSPs who are investigating proposals to create a register of judicial interests.

Wolffe Hall: Parliament House land titles lost to Faculty of Advocates

Media Report: Aninvestigation has revealedParliament House – the seat of power for Scotland’s judiciary and the nation’s highest, most expensive, elusive and pro-big business courts – has been lost to Edinburgh City Council after it was revealed Scottish Ministers gifted the land titles to the Faculty of Advocates after a £58m public funded refit of the sprawling court complex. Media attention to the land grab and questions in the Scottish Parliament have prompted Edinburgh City Council to demand the courts be returned to public ownership.

In a speech to the Commonwealth Law Conference 2015 in Glasgow, Lord Gill went on to joke about protesters being lucky they are not dragged away by Police. Gill took further shots at politics, judicial independence and democracy before fleeing the legal gathering with Lord Neuberger and other judges after they learned Wikileaks founder Julian Assange was booked to speak at the event.

Revealed: The bank of Scottish Legal Aid

Revealed: TIMES ARE TOUGH but not for Scotland’s legal profession as it was revealed the Scottish Legal Aid Board handed over more than One Billion Pounds of public money to lawyers since the 2008 financial market crash. The Billion pound Bank of Scottish Legal Aid is there to help out Scotland’s ‘struggling’ lawyers looking for a second car, fishing rights, sending kids to posh private schools, or a third buy-to-let property. Scottish Legal Aid figures paid to lawyers since 2008 reveal: 2013-14 £150.5m, 2012-13 £150.2m, 2011-12 £150.7m, 2010-11 £161.4m, 2009-10 £150.5m, 2008-09 £150.2m, 2007-08 £155.1m, total: £1.06Billion (£1,068.6m)

Scottish Parliament debate urges support for register of judicial interests

Media ReportMSPs overwhelmingly support a petition urging the Scottish Government to give further consideration to a register of interests for judges. The 90 minute debate, held on Thursday 09 October 2014 in the Scottish Parliament’s main chamber saw msps criticise Scotland’s secretive judges who refuse to disclose their hidden wealth, secret links to big business and even criminal records. Read more about the proposals for judicial transparency put forward in Petition PE1458: Register of Interests for members of Scotland's judiciary and watch video clips of MSPs debating a register of interests for judges at InjusticeTV. The official report of the debate including video footage of each MSP who spoke can be found here: Debating the Judges

Revealed: Judges International travel junkets & state visits

Exclusive Report: JET-SETTING judges spent £26,000 of taxpayers' cash on overseas trips last year, a Scottish Sun on Sunday investigation can reveal. Top beaks flew out to destinations including Russia, Israel, Switzerland, Germany, France, Bulgaria, Lithuania and Qatar. The most expensive was a £5,800 trip to Canada by Scotland's second most senior judge, Lord Carloway. Lord Gill - who is the Lord President - also spent five days on a £2,800 trip to Doha, Qatar, where he gave speech on judicial ethics.

Judicial Rich-List reveals Judges financial links to crime companies

Exclusive Report: DISCLOSURES of judges personal shareholdings obtained under Freedom of Information legislation from the Scottish Court Service reveal a startling snapshot of the wealth of several key members of Scotland’s judiciary who sit on a powerful quango which controls Scotland’s courts. The declarations of the seven judicial members of the Scottish Court Service Board – including Scotland's top judge, the Lord President & Lord Justice General Brian Gill who earns £220K a year - reveal judges benefit financially from shareholdings in companies who provide services to the courts & justice system, companies convicted of criminal offences & involvement in ‘industrial’ espionage against China, banks fined for international financial market manipulation, and companies involved in bribes, bid rigging, and tax dodging.

Revealed: Top judge forced to recuse over relative in court

Exclusive Report: SCOTLAND’S top judge, the Lord President Lord Brian Gill has been forced to stand aside from hearing an unidentified case in the Court of Session because a relative who turned out to be Brian Gill jr, one of Lord Gill’s sons, represented a party involved in the court action which court officials are keeping secret.

Judge invests in bribes scandal companies

Exclusive Report: An investigation by the Scottish Sun on Sunday newspaper has revealed a top judge holds shares in a firm hit with a £13.9million proceeds-of-crime bill for bribing Saddam Hussein's regime,The Scottish Sun on Sunday can reveal. Sheriff Principal Alastair Dunlop 62, has a stake in Glasgow based Weir Group, hammered in 2011 for paying kickbacks to land contracts in Iraq. He also has shares in mining giant Rio Tinto, whose executives admitted bribery in China four years ago. A Holyrood committee is considering proposals that would require judges and sheriffs to publish their outside interests, including details of their finances, reported here: A Register of Interests for Scotland's Judiciary

Judges reveal conflicts of interest

Exclusive Report: The Sunday Mail newspaper reports Scotland's judges are coming clean when they have to step away from court cases because of a conflict of interests. Scotland’s top judge has decided that for the first time the public can see online why judges and sheriffs have stood down from hearing criminal trials and civil actions. It comes after the Sunday Mail told of MSPs' anger that the Lord President Lord Gill had dismissed calls for a judicial register of interests and snubbed invitations to discuss his position at a Holyrood committee, reported in previous coverage here: A Register of Interests for Scotland's Judiciary

Judges interests & shareholdings revealed

Exclusive Report: An investigation by the Sunday Herald newspaper reveals a senior sheriff presided over a court hearing involving Tesco at the same time as he held shares in the multi-national supermarket giant. Sheriff Principal Dunlop QC did not absent himself because having shares in a company that is party to a court action does not require a member of the judiciary to step down from a case. A Holyrood committee is considering proposals that would require judges and sheriffs to publish their outside interests, including details of their finances, reported in previous coverage here: A Register of Interests for Scotland's Judiciary

Top judge in private meeting on judicial transparency petition

Media Report: Top judge Lord Gill met petitions committee members behind closed doors to discuss Petition PE1458: Register of Interests for members of Scotland's judiciary and conflict of interests, but no minutes were taken. The Sunday Mail reports Scotland’s top judge met two MSPs in private after twice snubbing requests to give evidence in front of their committee. The judge is opposed to the transparency call and has previously refused invitations to attend the Scottish Parliament and face questions in public on his opposition to judicial transparency and the creation of a register of judicial interests. More on the debate on judge’s interests can be viewed here : A Register of Interests for Scotland's Judiciary

Small concession offered by top judge as calls grow for judicial transparency

Judges should not be above scrutiny

Media Editorial: The Sunday Herald newspaper says in an editorial Judges should not be above scrutiny. The Lord President, who is the country's top judge, is against requiring his colleagues to list their financial interests (as called for in Petition PE1458: Register of Interests for members of Scotland's judiciary) but he seems to have recognised political concerns about a lack of transparency.To this end, he is investigating the possibility of compiling a register of "recusals", which means examples of judges ceasing an interest in a court case due to a perceived conflict. More on the debate on judge’s interests can be viewed here : A Register of Interests for Scotland's Judiciary

Scotland’s top judge takes anti-transparency position on proposal for judicial interests register

Lack of judicial transparency - No justice if it cannot be seen

Media Editorial: The Sunday Mail newspaper says Senior judge's refusal to give evidence to MSPs shows a lack of transparency, says Mail Opinion on calls for judicial transparency in Petition PE1458: Register of Interests for members of Scotland's judiciary. It was an opportunity for Scotland’s top judge to go to Parliament and talk about how our legal system works and might work better. It would have added, as the public relations executives and politicians like to say, a little transparency. Instead, his refusal has only hardened the suspicion that our judges live and work in a bubble smelling of horse hair wigs, vintage port and even more vintage attitudes. More on the debate on judge’s interests can be viewed here : A Register of Interests for Scotland's Judiciary

NEWS SPECIAL: Coverage of the Annual Report 2012-2013 of Scotland’s Judicial Complaints Reviewer reveals Scottish judges are slammed for secrecy, anti-transparency views & how they investigate complaints against other judges.Moi Ali, appointed by the SNP’s Justice Secretary as Scotland’s first Judicial Complaints Reviewersaid: “I think fundamentally the problem is the legislation. “The way it’s created, it’s about self- regulation so you have judges judging judges’ conduct. There isn’t really an independent element.”. Read more HERE

REVEALED : Scotland’s Judicial Complaints Reviewer gave evidence to MSPs at the Scottish Parliament stating her office has no powers to properly investigate complaints against Scottish judges and that the judicial office regularly block access to files and information relating to complaints. In England & Wales, it is done very differently. Read more HERE

EXCLUSIVE REPORT: Scotland’s judiciary are refusing to cooperate with the independently appointed Judicial Complaints Reviewer over complaints made against Scottish judges. Scotland’s top judge also stands accused of regularly blocking independent access to key documents relating to allegations made against judges. Read more HERE

Scotland's top judge objects to Holyrood transparency call for a register of judicial interests

Exclusive Report : Scotland’s top judge Lord Gill claims judges are exempt from declaring their full financial & other interests as called for in Petition PE1458: Register of Interests for members of Scotland's judiciary A register could be created by the Scottish Parliament or by the Judicial Office for Scotland, which incorporates the Lord President’s office. Typically, such registers reveal details of hospitality, gifts, property ownership, shareholdings and personal or financial connections to outside organisations.

If you think Scotland's judges are honest, think again. An investigation reveals the true extent of their undeclared finances & interests. Read more HERE. Investigations have revealed Scotland's Judges have secret criminal records, massive wealth, unchecked influence, & murky investments along with connections to offshore tax havens, all of which go undeclared as there is no register of interests for the judiciary.

Business Interests: Are Scottish Judges overseas trips really just about law conferences?

Exclusive Report: Scotland's judges have racked up thousands of air miles on overseas trips, including jaunts to the US, India, Morocco and Malaysia. Taxpayers paid £83,644 to send judges and sheriffs and their partners around the world in the past three years revealed in this document. The Lord President also travels to Taiwan, South Africa & other countries yet refuses to travel 700m to the Scottish Parliament to face MSPs questions about judges’ secret undeclared interests.

Exclusive Report : A report published by the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice reveals Scottish lawyers take home a lavish £161million in legal aid payments on a tiny client base compared to other EU countries’ lawyers. The EU REPORT also shows that Scotland disciplines a tiny number of lawyers compared to countries of similar size, and that Scotland’s sheriffs & judges top the EU pay league. A large proportion of alleged criminals reported to prosecutors in Scotland are also escaping justice while lawyers scoop up legal aid fees for dealing with cases which never make it to court.

EU Justice Report : Scots Justice System is most expensive, has poorest regulation in Europe

A MUST READ REPORT by the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice reveals the Scottish justice system as the most unproductive, yet most expensive in the entire European Union. Scottish lawyers take tens of millions more in legal aid representing a population of 5 million than Italian lawyers who serve a population of 60 million. The report also reveals Scots judges are paid the highest in Europe, Scottish Sheriffs taking home an average taxpayer funded salary of £120K plus, while others in Scotland’s judiciary are paid £200K plus expenses.

The Scottish Civil Courts Review of 2009 authored by the then Lord Justice Clerk, now Lord President Lord Brian Gill, castigated Scotland’s Civil Justice System as being Victorian, costly, and unfit for purpose, yet years on from the review, little of the proposed reforms have been implemented due to pressure from vested interests in the legal world, and a lack of political will to deliver access to justice to all Scots.

The ‘independent’ lawyer run Scottish Legal Complaints Commission has lurched from scandal to scandal, and proved to be even worse at regulating complaints against Scottish solicitors than the Law Society of Scotland. Clients of Scottish solicitors who are forced to make complaints to the SLCC should read our previous reports on how the anti-client regulator may treat their case.

Exclusive Report: A Research Report from the University of Manchester School of Law, commissioned by the SLCC on the Law Society of Scotland’s two discredited client compensation schemes, the Master Insurance Policy & Scottish Solicitors Guarantee Fund reveals the extent of suicides, illness, broken families and financial ruin among clients who fall victim to rogue solicitors and attempt financial claims in order to recover funds & assets embezzled or stolen by their lawyers. The research report concludes the Law Society's Master Policy is set up “to allow solicitors to sleep at night”, so they can go on to ruin other unsuspecting clients. Read the full shocking story HERE

Name & Shame your crooked lawyer in the media

If you are making a complaint to the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC), Law Society of Scotland or Faculty of Advocates about your solicitor or legal representatives, one of the best things you can do is tell the media about it & name your crooked lawyer.

Revealed: Suspended & Bankrupt lawyers are secretly still working in Scotland

Exclusive Report: An investigation has revealed twice suspended but still working as a solicitor John G O'Donnell has impersonated a deceased lawyer as part of an elaborate fraud, while staff at the law firm he worked at said nothing to clients. The Law Society of Scotland did nothing to prevent O’Donnell continuing his reign of scams against clients even after he was twice suspended & made bankrupt. O’Donnell was only found out after one of his clients, saw his photograph in an earlier Sunday Mail newspaper investigation..

Exclusive Report: An investigation has revealed a lawyer who works for the Citizens Advice Bureau is being probed after it’s claimed he targeted vulnerable clients for a crooked legal firm. A client involved in a rent dispute turned to CAB lawyer Gilbert Anderson, who is based at Hamilton Sheriff Court on a taxpayer funded salary. But the ex-Royal Marine sent the client and a friend into the clutches of twice suspended solicitor John G O'Donnell , who does not have a practicing certificate.

BONUS CULTURE of Crown Office fails to deliver justice

An investigation reveals Scotland’s Prosecutors have been caught up in their own BONUS CULTURE where fat cash hand-outs at the end of the year worth tens of thousands of pounds and sly Press Releases short on facts seem to be more important than catching real crooks and delivering on protecting the Scots public.

One of Scotland’s most famous Crooked Lawyers, Andrew Penman of Stormonth Darling Solicitors, Kelso in the Scottish Borders. Read the MEDIA COVERAGE of the case, details which the Law Society of Scotland and several Edinburgh law firms tried to bury.

If you have a similar experience with Stormonth Darling Solicitors, or any other corrupt law firm, we want to hear about it at scottishlawreporters@gmail.com